Our latest content operations study with 109 content professionals answers that question and much more. If you’re new to content operations, you can get an overview from this article. Understanding the current state of content operations starts with understanding our maturity model.
What Are the Levels of Content Operations Maturity?
Content Science developed a maturity model to represent different levels of content operations sophistication, as I explain extensively in The Content Advantage. Let’s walk through the levels briefly.
| LEVEL | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Chaotic | No formal content operations, only ad hoc approaches |
| Piloting | Trying content operations in certain areas, such as for a blog |
| Scaling | Expanding formal content operations across business functions |
| Sustaining | Solidifying and optimizing content operations across business functions |
| Thriving | Sustaining while also innovating and seeing return on investment |
We asked content professionals around the world in a variety of industries and sectors to complete a brief survey about their content operations. We used the answers to identify their maturity level. We also asked a range of questions about their success with content and what exactly their content operations entail.
How Mature Are Most Organizations’ Content Operations?
Not very. This pie chart shows 46% of organizations are at levels 1 and 2, the earliest stages of content operations maturity. Compared to our 2017 update, more organizations are at these low levels.
If you feel your organization is getting some things right about content operations, keep going because you’re cultivating a huge advantage over other organizations. And in the age of accelerated digital disruption, I cannot overstate the value of that advantage.
What Else Do We Know About Content Operations Now?
A lot! Even though the fact more organizations are immature is a step back, we also know much more about what makes content operations successful. So, if I had to sum up the current state of content operations, I’d say two steps forward and one step back.
We share some of the top findings across elements like content roles and process, content vision, evaluating content effectiveness, and using content technology in this executive summary, What Makes Content Operations Successful?
The full report—with more detailed findings, highlights from the impact of COVID, and more discussion of their implications—is available as premium content to paid Content Science Review subscribers.
We also updated the material in our Content Leadership and Operations certification over at Content Science Academy. And don’t miss our upcoming workshop Leading Content Teams and Operations, which will feature some of the detailed findings.
If you’re curious about your own organization’s maturity level, you can take this brief Content Operations Assessment to get immediate feedback and a PDF version of the latest executive summary report.
The Author
Colleen Jones is the president of Content Science and a recognized expert on content, AI, and digital transformation, advising top organizations around the world such as Dell, Thompson Reuters, and The Home Depot. The author of the top-rated book The Content Advantage (third edition), Colleen hosts conversations with senior leaders on the Content Powers AI podcast.
A passionate entrepreneur, Colleen has led Content Science to conduct the world’s largest ongoing study of content operations and AI, develop the patented ContentWRX evaluation system, and architect the AI superagent ContentIQ.
She served as head of content at Mailchimp during its transformation into a marketing platform and eventual $12 billion acquisition by Intuit. Colleen also led customer experience transformation at AT&T and the CDC. Sharing insights based on her experience and her firm’s research, she is a frequent contributor to business and technology publications and podcasts as well as a top LinkedIn Learning instructor. Follow Colleen on LinkedIn.
Events, Resources, + More
Introducing ContentIQ: AI Superagent
Register for our webinar to learn more about Content Science's new AI superagent + see it in action.
Content Ops + AI Success
Get the latest report from the world's largest study of content operations. Benchmarks, success factors, commentary, + more!
The Ultimate Guide to End-to-End Content
Discover why + how an end-to-end approach is critical in the age of AI with this comprehensive white paper.
The Content Advantage Book
The much-anticipated third edition of the highly rated book by Colleen Jones is available at book retailers worldwide. Learn more.
Comments
We invite you to share your perspective in a constructive way. To comment, please sign in or register. Our moderating team will review all comments and may edit them for clarity. Our team also may delete comments that are off-topic or disrespectful. All postings become the property of
Content Science Review.